soil tests

Soil Test Warning: What North Carolina Gardeners Are Finding in Their Yards This January

January 15, 2026 by Brandon Marcus Leave a Comment

January is not just a month for cozy sweaters and hot cocoa—it’s turning into a revelation for North Carolina gardeners. Across the state, backyard enthusiasts are rolling up their sleeves and digging into something a little less glamorous than snowdrifts: their soil. Soil tests done this month are yielding results that are both surprising and…

7 Soil Tests That Give the Best Results in Fall

November 19, 2025 by Brandon Marcus Leave a Comment

As the leaves turn gold and the air starts carrying that crisp autumn scent, gardeners everywhere start thinking about how to prep their soil for the months ahead. Fall isn’t just a time for pumpkin spice lattes—it’s one of the best times to understand what’s happening underground. After the heat of summer, the soil has…

How To Get Free Seeds From The Government by Amanda Blankenship Seeds might seem like a small expense, but any seasoned…
Should I Use Enviro Ice On My Plants? by Kathryn Vercillo Every week, I receive food from Hungryroot. It's a great…
From Trash to Treasure: Transform Shredded Paper Into Garden Gold by Amanda Blankenship Should you use shredded paper as garden mulch? It might…
What Happens to Plants If You Use Enviro Ice on Them? by Amanda Blankenship About a year ago, I wrote our first article about…

9 Things Gardeners Should Never Throw Away at the End of Summer

The end of summer can turn a productive garden into a surprisingly useful pile of leftovers. Those dried seed heads, fallen leaves, spent plants, and half-empty bags of garden materials may look like cleanup chores, but many can give next season’s garden a head start. The trick involves knowing what deserves a second act and…

7 Fall Garden Purchases That Are Usually Cheaper at the End of Summer

The end of summer can make garden centers look a little different. The bright annuals lose their starring role, patio displays start shrinking, and shelves that once held rows of gardening goodies suddenly have clearance signs. That shift creates a useful shopping window for gardeners who know which supplies make sense to buy now rather…

Garden Plants You Should Stop Fertilizing as Summer Ends

As summer starts running out of steam, your fertilizer routine deserves a second look. Continuing to feed certain garden plants simply because they still have green leaves can encourage tender new growth at exactly the wrong time, leaving plants less prepared for the cooler weather ahead. That does not mean every plant needs to go…

9 Vegetables You Can Still Plant in September for a Fall Harvest

September may look like the vegetable garden’s closing time, but somebody forgot to lock the door. As summer crops fade, cool-season vegetables are just getting interested, and several can still go into the garden in September for a fall harvest. The trick involves choosing vegetables that tolerate cooler weather and matching planting time to the…